To Conjure a A Patronus
by feathersnow
Summary: Hogwarts AU! Marinette teaches her peers to conjure a full boy Patronus. But Adrien struggles as he can't remember his happiest memory. Can Marinette help him?


When Marinette was finally going to teach them the Patronus Charm, everyone was ecstatic to learn from the young prodigy. They watched in awe and amazement as her silver Koi fish, swam through the air round the room.

"A full body is hard to produce,so don't be surprised if only white light comes out " she says. The Koi slowly fades, bringing back everyone's attention to her, their eyes still bulging. She giggled and tapped the tip of her wand on her head nervously," Let's start with the basics, shall we?"

Each student went to find their own space, and started casting the spell.

"Think of a powerful memory, the happiest you can remember," she advises them as she walked around. "And let it fill you. Don't be disappointed if you don't get it on your first time. Keep trying,"

There was a lot of mumming and a few gasps when a few of the students saw the tips of their wands glowing. One or two had managed to create a white spiral.

On the second week, almost everyone had managed to master in casting out a shapeless forms. Alya was the first one to have her patronus take form. A golden retriever burst out of Alya's wand, barking loudly as it ran around room.

"You did it, Alya!" Marinette cheered, jumping up and down.

On the third week, Nino's otter whizzed through the air.

"Think of the strongest memory you have. The happiest one you have," Marinette instructed the class as she helped Rose with her wand, who gasped as long silver strands came out. She continued to walk around once Rose managed to get the hang of hers. "Let that memory fill you up,"

Some animal bodies were beginning to form, but disappears as soon as students let out a cry of excitement.

"Focus," Marinette said to them, "It can form as long you keep your focus,"

"Expecto patronum,"

She turns towards Adriens' voice. No light came out of his wand. He sighs. He caught the Slytherin girl looking at him. "I'm trying, Marinette," he said defensively.

"It's okay. I know you are," Marinette said encouragingly, raising her right hand reassuringly, "You got this," The boy nodded and scrunched up his face in concentration.

On the other side of the room, Mylene squealed as a hare bounced around her. The animal hopped away and circled around Ivan's new grizzly bear.

On fourth week, most of them had gotten the hang of it, and there were many silver blue animals of different kinds running and floating around the room- there were 5 different kinds birds, a cheetah, a panther , two other dogs (apart from Alya's) , just to name a few.

"A Patronus can be a very useful as a shield to protect you from many of your opponents. Not only Dementors. Fantastic Alix!" Marinette gave her friend a thumbs up, as a horse sprang out of Alix's wand with loud whinny.

Alix grinned at her, and waved her wand towards the back of a Gryffindor boy. The horse galloped towards the direction, knocking Kim over, who fell on his back.

"Alix!" The girl sniggered. A silver eagle sprang out of his wand with a sharp cry, and flying after the horse. Marinette shook her head as she watched the two friends chase each other.

"Expecto Patronum," A small ball of light grew in front of Adrien and quickly vanished. Marinette watched sadly as he sighed dejectedly. Nino gave him a pat on the shoulder, encouraging him to try again .

Juleka gasped in amazement as a large raven circled above her head. Rose shook her friend's arm in excitement. "You did it Juleka!" She cried happily.

Four weeks of hard work and concentration had paid off.

By the end of the night , everyone left the club feeling happy and satisfied. Being always the last to leave, Marinette gave a quick check around the empty room. She was about to leave when her eye catches Adrien sitting on the window sill, who doesn't look as if he was going to leave any time soon.

"You go ahead first, Alya," the girl said to her Gryffindor friend. "I think Adrien needs some help,"

Alya followed the direction of her Slytherin friend, and smiles " You gotcha," she winks. "Try not to stay up all night,"

"Alya!, " hissed Marinette, her cheeks reddening as Alya walked away. As soon as she was out of vicinity, Marinette took a deep breath and walk towards the Hufflepuff boy.

The room which was once full of white light and noisy chatter is now silent and dark. The only light there were from the orange flames coming from the torches on the walls and the moonlight streaming from the huge windows.

The natural white light cascades onto Adrien. His left foot was propped up on the window sill, with his left arm resting on the knee, while his opposite limbs dangled down freely , as he gazed at the moon.

"Um, H-hey," Marinette stuttered, smiling nervously. "You okay?"

Adrien didn't answer. Marinette knew he had been working hard on the charm, but his efforts had been close to fruitless. He was the only one who still hasn't been able to produce a tiny Patronus.

"Don't worry, you will be able to do it," Marinette said encouragingly. "For some people, it takes a little longer than expected. Y- You - You're just a late bloomer, and late bloomers-"

"I will never be able to do it,"

The boy turns his gaze to her. He looks sad. His gaze then shifts to , the stone floor. He puts his left leg down. "I tried all my might to think about the happy memories but they are all not strong enough,"he sighs. He let out a dry laugh, "Sad isn't it? "

Marinette gazed at the boy sadly. Silently, she jumps onto the window sill joining him in silence.

"Ever since Mere died, well, my life went spiraling down from there," the boy explains , not looking at her. "Father used to smile and laugh a lot. But ever since then, he stopped smiling and became cold. He had buried himself in the Magic of Ministry works, and wither comes home very late or never at all. When he does, he treats me as if I'm invisible,"

Marinette didn't say anything . She just gives Adrien a sympathetic look and listens intently as he poured out his story to her.

"Durmstrang wasn't my choice of school," he says twiddling his wand in his hands. "It was my father's. He thought it would be much safer away from the Dementors, but," he sighs "It was lonely too. I didn't get into any fights and kept my grades up. He had hardly kept in touch. The only time I receive mail was during my birthday or Christmas,"

He was shock when Marinette reaches out and places her hand over his left one comfortingly. He lifts his head and gave her a small smile as he continued.

" Father did not approve my transfer to Hogwarts, but after some persuasion, he gave in. And truthfully, that was my first great rebellion ever," he said with a small laugh. He runs his free hand through his hand, "I don't regret it. Even though it's still far from home, it is at least closer than Norway,"

Marinette smiles, "Tell me about your mother," she says suddenly.

"What?"

"What was she like?"

His smile dropped, "I'm sure you had read about it in the papers. There was even a whole section about her on when she was...alive,"

When it happened.

Marinette shakes her head "I have read those , but those are by journalists. You knew her more personally compared to them. I would to hear your story." Adrien's eyes widens as she smiles at him, "What was your mother like?," she asks again.

Adrien went quiet, and looks down. Marinette thought she had crossed the line with his privacy.

"It's okay if you don-"

"She loved to bake," he says quietly. He then looks at the girl beside him, "Strawberry cheesecake was her signature cake everyone loved. She had gotten the recipe from the Muggle world and added a twist of her own- Berry Ocky Rot wine. In fact, she loved muggle food a lot, that she adds her own twists. Sometimes she puts healing herbs in them since kids are reluctant to take the herbs by themselves.. ,"

She listens intently as the Hufflepuff boy talked about his favorite dish his mother makes, her, her favorite books ( including the Muggle author, Charles Dickens), favorite music ( Classical) , favorite flowers and why (both in the Wizarding and Muggle Word) , what makes her smile, how he makes her laugh, her kindness and generosity…

The more he talks about her, the bigger his smile was, and the louder and more confident his voice gets.

" Father would always get disappointed and upset whenever I make a mistake. But Mere would always tell she would always be proud of me no matter what,"

He stops, realizing how much he had talked. He looks at Marinette, who was smiling at him. He ran his hand through his hair nervously. "I think I went overboard,"

Marinette shakes her head, " Don't say that. I loved how you talk about her. She sounds like an amazing and wonderful person."

Adrien beams. "Yes she was,"

Suddenly he freezes, and gasps. His smile widens.

Grinning like a silly boy, he hops of off the ledge, and draws out his wand , pointing it towards the dark room.

He looks at Marinette. She gives him an encouraging nod. Taking a deep breath, he closed his and concentrated.

"Expecto patronum!,"

He feels a tingling sensation in his fingers. And a white light glow growing bigger and bigger behind his eyelids. When he opens his eyes, he gasps.

Trailing from his wand was a silver ribbon, connecting to a silver cat, running around the dark room, lighting every dark corner.

"I...I did it..," he says. His smile grew larger. "I did it!," he repeated excitedly. As if his Patronus understood him, it meowed in response and glowed brighter.

A white Koi fish joins the cat, swimming in the air. Adrien turns his head to see Marinette with her wand. She, too, was smiling. The cat gave the fish a playful chase as it swam around quickly. Marinettes Koi was much faster than Adrien thought it was. Whenever he thought his cat was about to pounce, the fish lets out a burst of energy.

The game of Cat and Mouse, no, Cat and Fish finally ends when the Cat caught the fish. Both animals disappear in the air, leaving the teenagers in the dark again.

"You did it Adrien!," she exclaims giving him a surprise bone crushing hug. She looks up at him. " I knew you could, and I'm so proud of you,"

The boy felt his cheeks grow warm as she continues to smile at him. He was speechless- probably because he had finally managed to cast the spell, or because Marinette was hugging him.

Or it was the last five words she had said.

It took Marinette a few moments to realize her actions, and how close they were. She quickly pulls away, and turns around. Blushing furiously. " W-We sh-should head back n-now," she stutters.

"Y-Yeah," Adrien turns his gaze away from her."We have Potions in the morning."

They walked out of the Secret Room in silence. As soon as they needed to part ways to their respective dormitories, Adrien gently takes Marinettes hands into his, and brings them up to his lips.

And kissed them.

"Thank you so much, my lady. I couldn't have done it without you," he says.

Marinette was speechless. She was frozen on the spot. She stares at him with wide eyes. Her body vibrated as if it was going to explode.

"Y-yo- you are welcome,"she stutters (again!) "But you did it too,"

"You know, I couldn't ask for a better animal Patronus than this. It's so purrfect," he says, and winks at her.

She frowns at him.

Oh God.

She pulled her hands back.

"Maybe I shouldn't have helped you," she huffs, walking away,

"Oh come on! Don't ruin my mewment!"

"Good night, **Adrien** ,"

On the way to the dungeons, she couldn't stop smiling and touching her knuckles.


End file.
